The Next Step Community

The Next Step Community is a group of people, like you, who need other people to help them take a next step following Jesus. You won’t find any preconceived notions or quick fixes here; just real people trying to follow Jesus in real life. You are welcome to join in!

About

As The Next Step Community, we are sold out on helping each other delight in taking a next step following Jesus. Not everyone is going to resonate with our values or our basic vibe, and that’s OK; we believe having a variety of options is the best way to sustain…Continue reading “About”

Exegetical Study…

Money, in a Fish

7 Jun 20222 Nov 2022

By Kim Longden When my oldest son was little, we read from the Beginner’s Bible each night at bedtime. One night we opened up to a story entitled “Money in…

Exegetical Study

Faithful Change

6 Jun 20221 Nov 2022

By Ted Hopkins In my last post, I ended by saying faithfulness to Jesus leads us to faithful change, despite our deep and abiding reluctance to do so. In that…

Authentic Imitators

2 Jun 20222 Nov 2022

Created to Create, Part 3 By Visual Faith® Coach Valerie Matyas for the 2022 Creative Haven Retreat Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as…

Courage for a Small Step

26 May 20222 Nov 2022

By Katie Helmreich My 5-year-old, Jane, has been looking forward to the end of year Preschool field trip for ages! "We get to go do gymnastics, Mom! Gymnastics!!" So we carefully counted…

Concrete or Abstract?

4 May 20222 Nov 2022

Created to Create, Part 2 By Visual Faith® Coach Valerie Matyas for the 2022 Creative Haven Retreat Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have…

Cultural Studies…

Helpless Waiting

2 May 20222 Nov 2022

By Justin Rossow This Easter I was struck by a detail I don’t remember seeing before. In fact, I didn’t even see it this year until my second or third…

Cultural Studies…

Change? Who Said Anything about Change?

26 Apr 20221 Nov 2022

By Ted Hopkins Almost every Lutheran knows the old joke about how many Lutherans it takes to change a light bulb. “Change? Who said anything about change?” After an initial…

Reflecting Beauty

19 Apr 20222 Nov 2022

Created to Create, Part 1 By Visual Faith® Coach Valerie Matyas for the 2022 Creative Haven Retreat In the beginning God created the heavens and earth. Genesis 1:1 (ESV) Human…

Discipleship Tools…

Family Devotion Calendar

18 Apr 202213 Apr 2022

By Justin Rossow Our mission at Next Step Press is to cultivate the kinds of people and resources that help you delight in taking a next step following Jesus. In…

Exegetical Study…

Good Friday and God’s Failure

15 Apr 202211 Mar 2024

By Justin Rossow Of course, we know the big picture. We have the benefit of hindsight, and we know that the open tomb is just around the corner. Of course,…

Exegetical Study…

It is Finished; and …

6 Apr 20221 Nov 2022

By Justin Rossow The last words of Jesus on the cross hold deep comfort and promise. And Jesus is still at work, for us. I recently received some concerned feedback…

My Song is Love Unknown

4 Apr 20226 Apr 2022

The Next Step PodcastSeason 1: When from Death I'm FreeEpisode 14: "My Song is Love Unknown"Date: 4 April 2022Guest: Alli BauckThe Next Step Podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, and Amazon…

Exegetical Study

The Miracle of the Floating Axhead

24 Mar 20222 Nov 2022

The company of the prophets said to Elisha, “Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us. Let us go to the Jordan, where each of…

Disciple LIke You Mean It…

The Parable of the Pottery Class

21 Mar 202215 Nov 2023

By Justin Rossow The regular habit of following Jesus requires regular habits...In short, you are saved by grace alone. And you can actually get better at following Jesus. Back in…

Exegetical Study

Why am I so Thirsty?

18 Mar 20221 Nov 2022

By Justin Rossow As dropsies, though filled with fluid, crave drink,so money-lovers, though loaded with money, crave more of it;yet both to their own demise. —Diogenes the Cynic (ca 300…

Disciple LIke You Mean It…

Take a S.M.A.R.T. Next Step

16 Mar 202215 Nov 2023

By Justin Rossow Following Jesus can seem like an overwhelming challenge. Of all the things I could do, what should I do? Of all the steps I might take, which…

Exegetical Study

Ashes and Curtains

1 Mar 20222 Nov 2022

By Justin Rossow “Dust you are and to dust you will return.” Those words, spoken to Adam in Genesis 3:19, come right after the Fall. They are words of judgment;…

Cultural Studies…

Getting to the Heart of the Matter

25 Feb 20222 Nov 2022

By Justin Rossow I recently heard my good friends Steve and Jamie from Breathe Life Ministries lead a presentation on noticing yourself with God. As part of that workshop, they…